How can I edit a characters name in a PC video game file. I believe it
is written in XML.I also have files FDP - FDS - TGA - NIF - KF - .dll.
My intent is to change only the names of a few characters in the game.
I can open these files with notepad or wordpad (except TGA- I have a
graphics program for this one). When I open the above there are
thousands of symbols\characters that I assume are programming
language. I have no idea how to decipher them. Is there a way to
convert? Would a XML editor help? (I have opened files then Edit/find
to search the game characters name that I want to change with no
success.)

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Request for Question Clarification by tisme-ga on 09 Aug 2006 14:34 PDT

What game? What file name? 

tisme-ga

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Clarification of Question by davehz24-ga on 09 Aug 2006 22:14 PDT

The game is Prison Tycoon. I do not know which file has game
characters names in it, as I can't decipher files as they are. This
game is produced by "Valusoft".

I feel you would be best off with a HEX editor to edit these files
however I would STRONGLY advise you NOT to edit files as they can
cause corruption to your game.

One game I play, called X Beyond the frontier, has a cheat which
relies HEAVILY on  editing the save games to allow you to change your
money. One mistake editing these files and the game crashes and you
lose everything.

I used to use a hex editor called XE but that has dropped off the face
of the earth.

I now use http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delphi/freeware/xvi32/xvi32.htm
but I personally am not a massive fan of it however it works perfect
for editing game files.

Usrhlp

First of all, make sure to back up everything.  Second of all,
download cygwin.  At least I would because I only know how to do this
kind of thing with posix tools.  Next I would probably try something
like strings * | grep whatever_char_name_you_are_looking_for. 
Hopefully this will help you identify the file.  If not, more digging
is required.  If it did work, open the file in a hex editor (can't
think of one off the top of my head, download one).  Convert the name
you are looking into ascii hex and search the file for this sequence
of hex.  You can do a conversion to ascii hex

If that doesn't work, its not over.  There are plenty more ways you
can investigate.  But I won't get into that now.

That is an image file extension. Targa format
TGA files can be sequential. The DLL may be an 'engine' that sequences
these images.

Typically a dll is nothing more than a c# or VB program without the
executable information

Examples:
Dungeon1.tga to Dungeon24.tga would be called by tga.dll to display
these images in sequence. With additional coding, could reverse the
sequence.


Hopes that helps